Mabiwe way



C. S. CLARK.

MARINE WAY.

APPLlcMmN mep fsa. o. 191s.

Patented Sept. 23, 19194 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

annu/1km @Normand c. s. CLARK. mams wm.

APPLICATION FSLED FEB. 6, 9l8.

Patented Sept. 23

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

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En srnrns a CORNELIUS S. CLARK, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

MARINE war.

Specieation of Letters Patent. )Pmin-,Q @ppi-,y 23, 11939:

Applicaties mea February e, 191e.4 serial no. 215,325.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that 1,. CORNELIUS S. CLARK,

a citizeny of the United States, residing at v wardly into the water and traveling upon.

the rails of vthis trackway is a cradle upon lwhich is positioned the boat to be hauled into or out of the water.

In this type of marine way, a roller frame is usu'ally interposed between the cradle and the rails of the trackway, and heretofore considerable trouble has been. experienced due to the cradle becoming displaced laterally of the rails and frequently running off the track.

The present invention relates particularly to the roller frame and has special reference to means for securing the cradle against lateral and vertical movement relative to the trackways without interfering with longitudinal rolling movement of the cradle upon the rails. The mainpurposes of the invention are to prevent the roller frame from running off of the rails, and the cradle from running off of the rollers of the roller frame, and to accomplish these objects without weakening or in any way interfering with the efficiency of the roller'frame.

Another object of the invention is vto provide an improved roller frame which will prevent, to a large extent, the collection of sediment or the like Vupon the rail; to provide a roller frame which is flexible so as to permit it to .accommodate itself to irregularity or undulations .in the rail or trackway, and to provide a roller frame which is relatively simple in construction and efficient in operation. l

The above and other objects of my invention are obtained in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinz Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a marine way in which my improvements are incorporated. V

Fig. 2 isa transverse view through the way shown in Fig. 1 and taken on line 2 2 of that figure, a .y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of my improved roller frame shown in coperaton with a rail and cradle'sill` and a portion of this view being in vertical longitudinal Vsection for purposes of clearness.

Fig. 1 is a transverse view taken on line 1 4 of Fig. 3,

'Fig 5 is a transverse view through the roller frame,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View through a supplemental roller frame, a portion of a rail and a cradle sill being shown in side elevation in this figure,

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the roller frame shown in Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 6, v

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the roller carrying members of the roller frame shownin Figs. 6 to 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of a plow attached to the forward end of the roller frame.

1n the drawings, wherein like reference characters represent likeV parts in the several views, the trackway, which is mounted upon the piles 11, is disclosed as comprising a pair of parallel rails 12, and while in the present illustrative disclosure, these rails are inclined in astraight line, they may be curved. The numeral 13 designates, generally, the main roller frame, 14 a supplemental roller frame, and 15 designates the cradle having a pair of arallel cradle sills 16 spaced apart similary to the rails 12. Aroller frame 13 is interposed between leach of the rails 12 and the cradle sills 16 and in practice the cradle, when hauling a ship out of water, is moved or pulled upwardly so that the roller frames will ride or roll longitudinally over the rails, while the cradle frame will move relatively to the roller frames. The supplemental roller frame 14 is provided so that in the event the forward end of the cradle should extend beyond the main roller frames 13, it will be supported by the supplemental frame, as shown in Fig. l. As heretofore stated, considerable annoyance has heretofore been experienced Sii due to the fact that the roller frames ride i o' of the rails, or the cradle sills ride 0F of the roller frames. 1n the present 1nstance, I Vprovide the roller frames with means whereby running off of the 'cradle vis at all times prevented.

The rails 12 may/be `of any suitable yconstruction, but in the present instance, I have shown the same as comprising longitudinally extending beams. having upon their upper faces centrally disposed ribs 17 upon which are mounted metallic tread strips 18, the strips 18 being secured to beams by means of bolts 19. The iron treads 18 overhang the rib 17 at its opposite sides so as to provide grooves or channels 20 in the sides of the tracks.

`The cradle sills 16 are somewhat similar in construction to the tracks or rails just described. Each of these sills comprises a beam having a longitudinally and centrally disposed rib 21 on its lower face, and metallic strips 22 secured to the rib and extending beyond the opposite side faces thereof so as to provide on each side of each of the sills a channel or groove 23,

My improved main roller frame 13 comprises a plurality of links pivotally connected together end to end. Each of these links comprises, in part, a pair of side plates 24 having upon their opposed faces centrally disposed pintles 25 upon which is mounted a roller 26. The various links of the roller frame 13 are pivotally connected together by means of blocks 27 and bolts 28 which pass through the blocks and the side plates 24. It will be seen from Fig. 3 of the drawings that the blocks 27 substantially till the space between the adjacent rollers, the ends of the blocks being cut inwardly on an arc so as to accommodatethe rollers, and the purpose of this is to prevent sediment and the like, which may fall upon the roller frame, from passing therethrough and falling onto the tracks 12. The side plates 24 of the links are maintained in spaced apart relation by the blocks 27, and these blocks are substantially of the same width as the tread plates or strips 18 of the rails 12 and the strips 22 of the cradle sills 16, so as to allow the plates 24 to extend downwardly and upwardly to each side of the ribs 17 and 21 of the rails and sills respectively. The lower corners of the side plates 24 are cut away, as indicated by the numeral 29, Fig. 3, so that the water may course through the roller frame and over the trackway and thus maintain the track free of sediment and the like.

' As heretofore stated, the main object of the present invention is to maintain the cradle sills 16 and the roller frames in correct alinement with the rails 12 so as to prevent the cradle from runnin ofi' the trackway, and to accomplish this o ject each of the side plates 24 of the roller frame has adjacent its upper and lower edges internal ribs or Hanges 30 which engage in the channels or grooves 20'and 23 of the rails and cradle sills. The ribs 30 may extend the full length of the links, or they may be in the form of short lugs.

As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the upper ribs or lugs 30 of the side plates 24 work in the grooves 23 of the cradle sills, while the lower ribs or flanges work in the grooves 20 of the tracks, it being understood, of

course, that there is sufficient clearance between the plates 24, tracks 12 and sills 16 to prevent friction and binding therebetween. With this construction, the roller frames may be moved longitudinally upon the tracks, and the cradle may be rolled over the rollers of the frame, with the lugs or ribs 24 sliling within the channels 20 and 23 and maintaining the cradle sills against vertical and lateral movements relative to the tracks 12. The rollers 26 operate be* tween the opposed surfaces of the tracks and the cradle sills sov as to reduce friction therebetween, and it will be seen from the drawings the rollers take the entire strain and no strains are exerted on the pintles 25 orf side plates 24.

Referring now to Figs. 6 to 10 of the drawings, I have shown, in detail, the supplemental roller frame 14 which is to receive the forward end of the cradle when the latter is moved beyond the upper ends of the main roller frames 13. The supplemental frame consists of two beams 31 maintained in spaced relation by blocks 32, the parts being secured together by transversely extending bolts 33. The side sills or beams 31 have upon their inner opposed surfaces alined vertically extending slots 34 which are undercut at their opposite edges. These undercut slots receive roller-carrying mem bers 35, one of which is shown in perspective in Fig. 10. Each of `these members 35 has side fins 36, which are adapted to engage into the undercut portions of the slot 34, and a centrally disposed pintle 37 which is received by an axially disposed opening in the end of the rollers 38. At the top and bottom of the members 35 are internal flanges or ribs 39, the upper ribs being adapted to engage in the channels 23 of the cradle sills 16, and the lower ribs engage in the channels or grooves 20 of the rails or tracks.

The blocks 32, preferably, occupy substantially the entire space between the adjacent rollers 38 so as to prevent sediment from falling onto the tracks and, as shown in Fig.

9, these blocks are of less height than the side beams 3l, to permit the strips 22 of the cradle sill to slide between .the beams 31 and beneath the upper ribs or flanges 39. The lower ends of the members 35 extend somewhat below the beams 31 to permit the lower flanges 39 to take into the channels 20 of the rails 12.

At the lower endof the marine way is :L stop 40 (shown in Fig. 1.) which prevents the cradle from running olf the tracks. 1f desired, the forward ends of the roller frames may be provided with plows which engage the tread surfaces of the rails and wipe off any sediment which may have collected on the rails. For illustrative pur- ,l of the invention without departing the scope of the following claims.

amasar Yposes I- have shown, in Fig. 11, a plow 41 .which consists of a V or U-shaped member connected to the' roller. frame 13 by means lof one lof the bolts 28.

f It is of course understood that my invention is susceptible tcrvvarious modifications and changes which would be within the spirit rom WhatI claim is:

f 1. In a marine way, a cradle having a sill provided with a longitudinally extending channel side face, a track havin a groove or 'channel in `its side face, an a roller frame, the rollersof which are interposed between said track and sill, said roller frame having means slidably en a ing in said channels of said sill and trac or preventing the cradle from running off of the track.

2. In a marine way,. a cradle having a sill provided with a longitudinally extending channel in its side face, a track having a groove or channel in its side face, :and a roller frame, the rollers of which are interposed between said track and sill, said roller frame having flanges slidably enga ing in said channels of said sill vand track or preventling the cradle from running off the 'trac y j 3. In a marine way, a cradle having a sill provided with a longitudinally extending channel in each of its sidefaces, a track having a groove or channel in each of its side faces, and a roller frame, the rollers of which are interposed between `said track' and. sill, said rol er frame having inturned lugs or anges slidably engaging in said channels of said sill and trackv for' preventing the cradle from running' olf the tracks. 4. In a marine way, a cradle'having a sill provided v.with a longitudinally extending rollers rotatably carried by said members,

channel in each of its side faces, a track hav- 'ing a channel in each of its' side faces, and a roller frame having side members" and said rollers being interposed between said track and sill, said side members having at their upper and lower edges internal lu or iianges engaging in said channels of said sill and track for preventing the cradle from running ofi' the track.

5. In a marine way, a cradle having a sill provided with a longitudinally extending channel in each of its side faces, a track having a channel in each of its side faces, and a roller frame comprising a plurality of sections, each of said sections having a pair of ,posed pintles on said spaced apart side plates and a roller rotatably carried by said side plates, and means for pivotally securingthe various sections together, said side plates having along their upper edges anges or lugs enga 'ng in the channels of said sill and along t eir lower edges ribs or flanges engaging in the channels of said track.

6. In a marine way, a cradle having a sill provided with longitudinally extending channels in its side faces, a track havin a channel in each of its side faces, a r'o ler frame comprising a plurality of pivotally connected sections, each section having a pair of side plates and a roller carried between said side plates, and means for securing the sections together, said side plates having along theirdupper and lower edges a flanges or lugs sli ly engaging in said channels of said sill and track. for preventing the cradle from running `of the track, and the lower corners of said plates being cut away to permit water to course through the roller frame and over the track.

7. In a marine way, a roller frame comprising a plurality of sections, eachv section aving a pair of side plates, oppositely disposed pintles on said side plates, a roller carried by said pntles, a block for securing adjacent sections together, said block being substantially co-extensive with the space between said rollers to revent sediment from passing downwardly t rough the frame, and bolts passing through said side plates and blocks, thevlower corners of said p ates bein cut away to permit water to course throng the frame.

8. In a marine way, a roller frame comrising a plurality of sections, each section aving a pair ofside plates, oppositely disposed pintles on said side plates, a roller carried by said pntles, a block for securing adjacent sections together, said block being substantially co-extensive with the space between "said rollers, and bolts passing through said side plates and blocks.

9. In a marine way, a roller frame comprising a plurality of sections, each section having a pair of side plates, oppositely disside plates, a rpller carried by said pntles, and means for plvot ally connecting said sections, the lower corners of said plates being cut away to permit water to course through the frame.

In testimony whereof I have Ahereunto set my l hand.I

' coaunmus s. einen. 

